The present invention generally relates to a bird feeder having a removable tray. The removable tray may be generally circular and may have an opening that wraps around a telescoping support section. Further, the removable tray may have a convex portion which acts to counter-balance the bird feeder. The removable tray is especially useful for cleaning and/or refilling the bird feeder. The bird feeder may be collapsed in a first position for storage or transportation or may be opened telescopically in a second position for use. The bird feeder may further have a perch to allow a bird to rest while visiting the bird feeder and/or may have a concave portion on the top surface which may be used to prevent insects or other animals from accessing the bird food.
It is common to find collapsible containers which are used to hold seed for wild animals. U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,538 to Lush discloses a collapsible feeder for birds, squirrels and the like comprising a plastic feeder body having a base and rim at the lower end thereof and a cover selectively closing the upper end thereof. The feeder body has a plurality of collapsible corrugations defining annular members that allow the body to extend and contract into extended and collapsed positions. The lower end of the feeder body is provided with feed outlets to enable feed within the feeder body to pass outwardly there through onto the base inwardly of the rim. The feeder body may also have a plurality of small openings or feeding stations formed in the corrugations to enable birds or the like to gain access to the feed within the feeder body. Preferably, the feeder body defines an inverted frusto-conical shape, but may have a frusto-conical shape as well as other shapes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,348 to Colwell et al. discloses a hummingbird feeder having a top wall and a bottom wall, the top and bottom walls being joined at their peripheries to define an enclosure constituting a reservoir. A feeding station is positioned in the top wall, the feeding station comprising a feed opening in the top wall. A cleaning opening is provided in the top wall. The cleaning opening is of sufficient size for enabling the cleaning of the reservoir. A cap selectively covers the cleaning opening, the cap being movable for exposing the cleaning opening when it is desired to clean the reservoir. In another embodiment, an upwardly extending boss formed in the bottom wall has a downwardly opening bore adapted to receive therein a member for mounting the feeder in an upright position. Alternatively, a hook adapter having a hook for hanging articles from the feeder is threadably attached to the bottom wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,284 to Olive discloses a hummingbird feeder having a two-part housing and a vessel unit supported by the housing. The vessel unit may be prefilled with a sugar and water solution. Once the sugar and water solution has been emptied from the vessel unit, the two housing pieces may be separated, the empty vessel unit removed, and a full new vessel unit placed inside the housing. Alternatively, the vessel unit may be refilled.
A common problem with bird feeders, especially hummingbird bird feeders, is that the nectar placed in the bird feeder begins to spoil after around three or four days. As a result, the owner of the bird feeder must often take the entire bird feeder down to clean the spoiled nectar and refill the bird feeder with fresh nectar, or other food. If the bird feeder is a hummingbird bird feeder, the owner usually must clean the nectar with special brushes which can reach into the small openings which the birds use to access the nectar. These openings are usually small so as to reduce the likelihood of unwanted animals or insects from accessing the nectar. Once the bird feeder is cleaned and refilled, the owner must re-hang the bird feeder. This process is difficult and time consuming.
Further, these bird feeders fail to provide the features of the present invention. More specifically, these existing bird feeders do not allow a user to hang the bird feeder once without having to remove the entire bird feeder for cleaning and refilling. Further, these bird feeders are often difficult to clean and refill.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved bird feeder which is easy to clean and refill. Further, a need exists for an improved bird feeder in which the body of the bird feeder may be permanently hung from a tree or other object. Finally, a need exists for an improved bird feeder which may be easily stored and/or transported in a collapsed position.